But what's new......Most all of the devastating fires in southern California are started by these people, and once it dies down, you will probably, as usual, never hear about it again.

Wildfire Sparked By Drug Dealers' Cooking Fire Printer Friendly Version Reported by: WROC TV
Sunday, Aug 16, 2009 @09:03am EST
http://rochesterhomepage.net/content/fu ... cid=111871

A wildfire in northern Santa Barbara County that's burned 84,000 acres in the Los Padres National Forest since last Saturday, was sparked by a cooking fire used by marijuana growers working for a Mexican drug cartel.

That's the word from U.S. Forest Service and Santa Barbara County investigators, who say they've secured the unburned marijuana plantation.


They believe the suspects are still in the San Rafael Wilderness Area and are trying to get out on foot.

Meanwhile, the "La Brea" fire is now 25 percent contained.


And, for the first time, fire officials say they're feeling "cautiously optimistic."